He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Isaiah 53:3 NIV

For me there is no better feeling than to be appreciated, valued and wanted.  There is nothing worse than feeling rejected and tossed away like yesterday’s trash.  Some of us have grown quite accustomed to being rejected and sadly, we actually anticipate it.  Instinctively, we learn to prepare our hearts for rejection; accordingly, we make certain decisions that will inevitably cause others to turn us away sooner or later.  More times than not, we are carrying around so much baggage from other seasons in our lives that we undoubtedly deserve to be rejected by others.  

Yes, to be rejected is one of the most hurtful feelings we can experience and no one leaves this earth without this piercing of the heart.  Jesus, God in the flesh, walked this earth for 33 years.  Look at how many times He was rejected and abandoned.  God’s Word is full of rejection by the Israelites.  The Jews rejected, and to this day still reject, Jesus as the Messiah.  God promised the Israelites over and over in the Old Testament that He would send a Savior.  Yet when Jesus came, very few believed and received Him.  It wasn’t until after Jesus was raised from the dead that his own brother James received Him as the Messiah.  Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, denied knowing Jesus THREE TIMES!

We have a heavenly Father who knows all too well how we feel and then some.  He has been rejected more times than anyone – in fact, more than everyone who reads this… combined!  He has been turned down by so many people, over so many centuries.  It all began because one angel decided to reject God.  The consequences of Satan’s actions cost him an eternity with God.  A third of the angels made that same choice and they want you and me to reject God too.  Satan and his army of angels/demons want all of us to reject God.  There is a battle going on for our souls and we can reject Satan or we can reject God.  There are only two choices and this is the MOST IMPORTANT CHOICE you will ever make. 

Isn’t it ironic that the one we reject is the one who loves us the most?  Even if you have rejected God many times in your life, you can receive Him today.  God is the ONLY ONE who will never reject you.  He loves you.  He created you.  He gives you grace.  He catches you when you fall.  He will never leave you, even when you leave Him.  He will let you make your own choice and will never force Himself on you.  As your Creator, He allows you to make your own choices and decisions.  I can assure you that you will never feel more accepted, appreciated, or valued than when you accept Christ.    

Heavenly Father, we come to You today with a humble heart and ask for Your forgiveness for all the times we have rejected You.  We have been so deceived into believing we can do everything in this life without You.  We are living our lives – that You gave to us – like we don’t need You.  We are so proud and we think we are so strong… until we find ourselves unable to control a situation… and then we drop to our knees… and You take us back over and over and over again.  What fools we have been pushing You out of our lives.  Thank You for Your grace that is poured out on us every time.  We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.